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GeeklessTechWed, 30 Mar 2016 13:59:59 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.3.5http://geeklesstech.com/the-5-website-metrics-small-business-owners-must-understand/The 5 Website Metrics Small Business Owners Must Understandhttp://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/146749435/0/feedburner/geeklesstech~The-Website-Metrics-Small-Business-Owners-Must-Understand/
http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/146749435/0/feedburner/geeklesstech~The-Website-Metrics-Small-Business-Owners-Must-Understand/#respondWed, 30 Mar 2016 13:59:59 +0000http://geeklesstech.com/?p=4941A website is imperative to the success of any small business – but understanding the effectiveness of that site is the key to transforming consumer insights into actual sales. So what metrics are the most important when it comes to how people are interacting with and using your small business site? Take a look at […]

A website is imperative to the success of any small business – but understanding the effectiveness of that site is the key to transforming consumer insights into actual sales.

So what metrics are the most important when it comes to how people are interacting with and using your small business site? Take a look at the top five website analytics you must understand to run a successful small business:

Page views. The most basic of all website metrics, you must know your baseline page views so you can tell if your site traffic is increasing over time – and by how much. Page views include all the “clicks” on your page, whether a visitor just goes to one page or multiple ones.

Unique visitors. This number is smaller than basic page views because it represents the individual visitors to your website. Someone who reads 20 product descriptions on separate pages only represents one unique visitor. The bigger the difference between unique and overall page views, the better. It means that the people who are coming to your page are sticking around.

Devices. How did your visitors arrive at your site? Increasingly, mobile is becoming the first internet source that people tap, completely cutting out the PC experience. This isn’t to say that you should completely neglect PC-friendly features but you should know how people are finding you. Ideally, your regular website should be optimized for mobile and users coming from all types of devices should be able to access what they need with ease.

Time spent. All the search engine optimization in the world won’t keep customers on your site for very long if they can’t find what they want easily. Are you doing enough to keep people on your site after that initial click? You certainly don’t want to hinder the buying process but you don’t want people clicking back to the search engine results mere seconds after finding you. If your website metrics are telling you that you have a high bounce rate, or percentage of viewers who leave your site after only seeing one page, then it might be time to consider more intriguing ways to keep people interested in your business and what it has to offer.

Conversions. From a bottom line perspective, this is the absolute most important metric to understand about a small business website. A good-looking site that ranks well in a search engine doesn’t mean a whole lot if it can’t take it one step further: converting visitors to customers. For some sites, a conversion occurs when a visitor actually buys something, and for others it happens when a contact form is filled out or a phone number is dialed. Whatever your desired outcome, knowing how many of your visitors are taking your cyber bait is important to fresh, innovative site updates. Most experts agree that on an ecommerce site, a 2.5 percent conversion rate is good.

Your small business website is your window to an entire world of customers – take advantage of that fact and let your analytics lead your website sales strategy.

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http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/146749435/0/feedburner/geeklesstech~The-Website-Metrics-Small-Business-Owners-Must-Understand/feed/0http://geeklesstech.com/10-steps-cleaning-reigniting-sales-funnel-2016/10 Steps to Cleaning Up and Reigniting Your Sales Funnel in 2016http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/135226947/0/feedburner/geeklesstech~Steps-to-Cleaning-Up-and-Reigniting-Your-Sales-Funnel-in/
http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/135226947/0/feedburner/geeklesstech~Steps-to-Cleaning-Up-and-Reigniting-Your-Sales-Funnel-in/#commentsFri, 29 Jan 2016 13:22:45 +0000http://geeklesstech.com/?p=4918If you’ve noticed a sales slump, it may be time to clean up your funnel. With the New Year, it’s the perfect time to make adjustments to your processes to foster growth and customer loyalty. Step One: Clean Out Old Leads Go through your current system to clean out any old leads. Find […]

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If you’ve noticed a sales slump, it may be time to clean up your funnel. With the New Year, it’s the perfect time to make adjustments to your processes to foster growth and customer loyalty.

Step One: Clean Out Old Leads

Go through your current system to clean out any old leads. Find the leads you believe are still worth contacting, and keep those separate from the leads you are purging.

Step Two: Reestablish Follow Up Timeframes

Chances are, you’re going to find some leads that are overdue for follow-up. Here’s your chance to establish the right timeframe to reach out to those leads while they are still warm. Prioritize your timeframe to act quickly, as 50% of customers will choose the vendor that responds first. Your odds of reaching a lead increase 100 times if you call them within five minutes rather than waiting 30 minutes. The odds of qualifying and converting a lead increase by 21 times if called within 5 minutes, compared to 30 minutes.

Step Three: Enter New Leads

Go through your contacts and enter any new leads you have that haven’t been entered into your system. Categorize them based on whether or not they’ve been contacted, and whether or not they’re interested, so you know how to move along the rest of the funnel to help them convert. Remove any leads that are not qualified, or not interested.

Step Four: Establish Better Pipeline Processes

Now that you’re basically at a clean slate, consider how leads are moving through your pipeline. Customer relationship management (CRM) software is an excellent tool to help you maintain your pipeline and improve customer service.

When leads come in from various sources, where do they go? How much time do you have to enter them? Who or what qualifies them? Who or what moves them along in the funnel? How much time do sales agents have to follow up with the leads? Determine what makes the lead an opportunity, and move forward accordingly.

Step Five: Evaluate Your Current Funnel

Every business wants to move a lead to a converted customer and a converted customer into a repeat buyer. Every business has a different approach for getting customers from one stage of the funnel to the other.

Does your current funnel work as well as you’d like? What could you do to improve it? Are leads coming in and getting stuck in the process? Or, are you having trouble with lead generation? Find out where your problem spots are.

Step Six: Make Adjustments to Your Marketing Strategy

Based on what you determine about your current funnel, you’ll need to make adjustments to your marketing strategy.

If you’re having trouble with lead generation, it’s time to amp up email, social media and content marketing efforts to help build brand awareness and bring in new leads.

If on the other the hand, the number of leads isn’t the problem, and you’re instead finding the leads in your system aren’t as qualified as you’d like, you’ll need to adjust marketing efforts to better target your ideal buyer.

And, if you have plenty of qualified leads, but they’re not converting – you’ll need to take a look at where they’re dropping off. What is your competition doing? Is your pricing too high? Your process too complex? Consider asking for feedback to help you find and solve the problem.

Step Seven: Start Funneling New Leads

Once you’ve worked out all the kinks and have your new funnel and marketing strategy in place, test your adjustments. When new leads come in, follow the established follow up timeline and pipeline guidelines to see if the funnel starts moving again.

Step Eight: Nurture the Leads Through the Funnel

Use lead nurturing techniques such as follow-up phone calls and emails to move leads through the funnel. Take note of where leads fall off in the funnel to identify weak areas. When the data points to a pattern, you know it’s time to adjust yet again.

Step Nine: Rinse and Repeat

When you’ve found what works—keep it going. Keep marketing efforts bringing in the new leads, follow your established pipeline practices to qualify your leads, move them through the funnel, and convert them into customers.

Step 10: Regularly Purge Old Leads

Even when your funnel is overflowing with prospects and the marketing machine is working to bring in profit, take time to purge old leads as you go, so you don’t end up with a buildup of clutter.

Getting your sales funnel right won’t happen overnight, but by keeping yourself organized and paying attention to the data and analytics from your CRM and website, you can focus your efforts on the key areas that will promote change.

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http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/135223803/0/feedburner/geeklesstech~Four-Savvy-Strategies-That-Will-Take-Your-Company-To-A-New-Level/#respondFri, 29 Jan 2016 12:27:48 +0000http://geeklesstech.com/?p=4922Business growth is typically the idea that gains and retains primacy in the minds of corporate leaders and entrepreneurs. In many cases, business owners need to access new growth strategies to ensure that their companies remain in a state of perpetual expansion. Here are four savvy strategies that can ensure that your company reaches a […]

Business growth is typically the idea that gains and retains primacy in the minds of corporate leaders and entrepreneurs. In many cases, business owners need to access new growth strategies to ensure that their companies remain in a state of perpetual expansion. Here are four savvy strategies that can ensure that your company reaches a new level of power and prestige:

1. Invest In Virtual Office Assistance.

Virtual office services have emerged as an immensely helpful way to ensure that your company grows. Companies that offer these services can assist you in many ways, including by managing email, checking voice messages, contacting manufacturers, providing call-backs, handling credit card declines, and tracking orders. Companies like Solid Cactus offer these services.

2. Run A Blog.

While many business owners realize that having a website is a wonderful way to build their brand identity online, some overlook the immense power of running a blog. Blogs are great because they empower business owners to communicate and connect with their target market in an informal manner that can accelerate the relationship-building process. One great way to facilitate this heightened connectivity is by hosting contests that feature free promotional prizes for the winner via the blog. You can also add Share Buttons to your blog, thereby getting your readers involved as they forward content they like to the individuals in their social networks.

3. Optimize Your Networking Endeavors.

Yet another business-building strategy you can use to get your company growing is the optimization of your networking endeavors. Utilizing good networking strategies is important because doing so enables you to connect with new people who could eventually become loyal buyers and/or business partners. Luckily, there are many ways that you can optimize your networking endeavors. One is to develop an “elevator pitch” which amounts to a 30-second speech regarding the depth and scope of your brand. Perfecting your pitch can help you overcome any anxiety or jitters you have regarding speaking to others about your brand.

4. Emphasize Employee Growth.

Emphasizing employee growth is an excellent way for you to ensure that your business attains a new level of power. When your employees develop new skills and maintain a competent, cutting edge approach to the work they do, you’ll likely find that your daily operations are completed with excellence and expedience. For this reason, you should look into which strategies you can employ to facilitate employee growth. One of the most simple and effective strategies available is having your staff enroll in online courses for ongoing education. The online format is oftentimes better than the traditional, in-classroom learning experience because it enables your employees to study at home and when it is convenient for them.

Conclusion

Savvy business owners need to remain cognizant of the fact that developing strategic plans and thinking systematically is the key to keeping their companies in a state of growth. If you’re ready to take your business to a new level marked by perpetual expansion, utilizing the strategies and systems outlined above can help you make it happen!

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http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/135223805/0/feedburner/geeklesstech~How-to-Choose-the-Best-TV-Provider/#respondTue, 19 Jan 2016 15:30:53 +0000http://geeklesstech.com/?p=4912For most people, TV is their primary source of entertainment. Therefore, they want to be sure that they are dealing with a TV provider that will provide them with a great deal of value for the money they are spending on their service. Unfortunately, this is not as easy to find as you might think. […]

For most people, TV is their primary source of entertainment. Therefore, they want to be sure that they are dealing with a TV provider that will provide them with a great deal of value for the money they are spending on their service. Unfortunately, this is not as easy to find as you might think. There are a large amount of TV providers out there. All of them claim to give their customers the best service. In many cases, this is simply not true. You will need to take some time to thoroughly look into any TV provider you are thinking about doing business with. Here is how you can go about choosing the best TV provider.

1. What channels are in the basic package?

This is the question that you need to ask before anything else. The basic package is what all customers must subscribe to when they are doing business with a TV provider. In many cases, the basic package will be filled with channels you will never watch. Therefore, you must look around for a basic package that provides you with value by having a minimal amount of channels you do not care about.

2. What premium channels are available?

Many people would agree that the best shows are on the premium channels. These are the channels you will need to pay extra for in addition to the fee you are paying for the basic package. Many TV providers will have different tiers you can choose from. Each tier contains a predetermined number of premium channels. Other providers allow you to choose the specific premium channels that you want. Finding the best deal for you will depend on which specific premium channels that you plan on watching the most. One of best TV providers out there is called ACN Inc. Info about them can be found by going to ACN Inc.

3. What are their introductory offers?

TV providers will often have special introductory offers that they use to entice new customers to sign up. You should shop around and compare the offers that are available in your area. Some offers may require you to sign a contract. If this is the case, you will need it decide if you are willing to make a long-term commitment to this provider. The savings you receive may make signing the contract a good decision. You should also find out what the early termination fee is.

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http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/135223807/0/feedburner/geeklesstech~Website-Trends-that-WillDate-Your-Site/#respondMon, 30 Nov 2015 22:38:32 +0000http://geeklesstech.com/?p=4898Web design, like all business components, moves in trends. While you may have a perfectly serviceable website, you must be flexible to give your site the credibility that comes with an up-to-date image. What are some of the latest trends in website design? Ghost buttons have become popular. You have probably seen them, though the […]

Web design, like all business components, moves in trends. While you may have a perfectly serviceable website, you must be flexible to give your site the credibility that comes with an up-to-date image. What are some of the latest trends in website design?

Ghost buttons have become popular. You have probably seen them, though the goal of using them is to let other things show through. They are generally boxes with colored outlines and sometimes dimensional properties. Designers use them to make the website less cluttered and to make certain icons more attractive than others. A ghost button next to a solid block button allows the visitor to choose an option, but fades next to a more important option. For instance, the ghost button may allow visitors to go to a virtual magazine page while the normal button, the more visible choice, offers a trial six-month subscription.

Feature list icons are new, too. These are icons adjacent to small blocks of text. Clicking on the icon opens a list of product or service features. This makes the page less cluttered and allows the visitor to concentrate on isolated data.

Drop-down lists and menus are popular now. The visitor sees an icon or line of text, even a single word, next to a downward-pointing arrow. Clicking on the arrow drops a list of options from which the visitor may choose. You may have seen this on sites that ask for a location. The drop-down list allows visitors to select a state or a country without having to type it in.

Galleries and slideshows are trending in website design. The development of really good, sharp graphics and images allows the photos to display even on mobile phones. They can be viewed full-screen as well. These offer businesses to have virtual showrooms, display steps in a process and even photo albums. The great thing about this trend is that it is easy to apply to your site. There are galleries and slideshow aps that can be added simply by lifting a code and putting it into place on your page.

Fixed sliding navigation is being seen more often today, too. The menu appears as small text, usually at the top of a page, and as the reader scrolls down, the menu stays at the top so that visitors can access any page at any time. The font is plain and easily-read, but still unobtrusive. The other trend in navigation is the invisible menu. The graphic on the page is a “hamburger.” This is a vertical stack of three lines that, when you click on them, drop a menu. The icon is small and easily recognizable.

All of these point to the biggest trend in designing websites: Minimalist style. Designers are losing the headings and footers, borders and other features, and using one or two theme colors with simple font to make web pages cleaner and more esthetically pleasing. The add-on apps must be attractive and functional, but the portals to these pages must be unobtrusive and allow your visitor to access your content easily.